1. Field of the Invention
In some embodiments this invention relates to implantable medical devices, an example of which is markers, their manufacture, and methods of use. Some embodiments are directed to delivery systems, such as catheter systems of all types, which are utilized in the delivery of such medical devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stent is a medical device introduced to a body lumen and is well known in the art. Typically, a stent is implanted in a blood vessel at the site of a stenosis or aneurysm endoluminally, i.e. by so-called “minimally invasive techniques” in which the stent in a radially reduced configuration, or optionally restrained in a radially compressed configuration by a sheath and/or catheter, is delivered by a stent delivery system or “introducer” to the site where it is required. The introducer may enter the body from an access location outside the body, such as through the patient's skin, or by a “cut down” technique in which the entry blood vessel is exposed by minor surgical means.
Stents, grafts, stent-grafts, vena cava filters, expandable frameworks, and similar implantable medical devices, may be radially expandable endoprostheses which are typically intravascular implants capable of being implanted transluminally and enlarged radially after being introduced percutaneously. Stents may be implanted in a variety of body lumens or vessels such as within the vascular system, urinary tracts, bile ducts, fallopian tubes, coronary vessels, secondary vessels, etc. Stents may be self-expanding, expanded by an internal radial force, such as when mounted on a balloon, or a combination of self-expanding and balloon expandable (hybrid expandable).
Stents may be created by methods including cutting or etching a design from a tubular stock, from a flat sheet which is cut or etched and which is subsequently rolled, or from one or more interwoven wires or braids.
The accurate positioning of a medical device or an implantable medical device such as a marker within a body lumen may be critical to the success of a medical procedure. In order to assist in the accurate placement of an implantable medical device within a lumen, fluoroscopes, X-ray machines, MRI's, and/or other viewing devices may be used to view a catheter, stent, and/or marker, as the placement of the medical device within a body lumen progresses. Frequently, a portion of the catheter, stent, and/or marker, may be formed of, coated, and/or impregnated with a radiopaque substance to enhance visualization through the viewing device.
An example of a catheter having an external metal radiopaque band may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,175 to Fischell et al which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
It may be desirable to enhance the profile of the catheter and/or marker at certain locations within a body lumen in order to better visualize the configuration and orientation of a vessel or vessel bifurcation. The enhanced visualization of an enlarged profile marker, within a body lumen, may expedite the speed of a medical procedure, resulting in improved survivability for a patient.
The art referred to and/or described above is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is “prior art” with respect to this invention. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. §1.56(a) exists.
All U.S. patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.